A Story with a Disappointing Ending
"A Story with a Disappointing Ending" is the fifth chapter of Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger. Synopsis Paul gets sent to Dr. Pickell's office after pulling Leslie's pigtail. Plot This chapter opens by talking about Paul's father, who is a security guard at a museum. His job is to protect the Mona Lisa, and make sure no one else touches it. However, at night he'd have to resist the urge to touch it himself, as his fingertips tingle with desire. The story isn't about Paul's father, though, it's about Paul, who is once again resisting his urge to pull Leslie's pigtails. He gives into his temptation, pulls Leslie's pigtails, and is sent to the counselor's office on the fourth floor. Paul has never been there before, because like most of the kids at Wayside School, he fears the counselor, who appears to be Dr. Pickell described in the chapter prior. Paul tells Dr. Pickell about his problem, and Dr. Pickell has him watch the pickle-shaped charm. Dr. Pickell hypnotizes Paul, putting into a state of dream-like entropy, where he tells Paul that the next time he pulls Leslie's pigtail, it'll morph into a rattlesnake. However, he also makes it so whenever Leslie says the word "pencil," Paul will imagine her ears as a delicious candy, and try to eat them. Dr. Pickell dismisses Paul to class, where he returns to his seat. Eric Fry asks what the counselor did to him, but Paul says he did nothing, and that he's a nice man. Paul looks at Leslie's pigtails. He pulled the one on the left, but not the one on the right. He lunges, but falls over as the pigtails morph into snakes in his mind. Everyone laughs, while Mrs. Jewls asks if Paul is feeling okay. Paul says he does, but he isn't in the mood to pull Leslie's pigtails anymore. A little while later, Leslie's pencil point breaks. Jenny asks what's wrong, and Leslie shows her the broken pencil point. Eric Fry asks Leslie if she wants to borrow his, but Leslie says she'll just sharpen it instead. Leslie returns to her desk and places the pencil down, but it rolls off under Paul's desk. Leslie asks where it is, and Paul asks what she's talking about, but Eric Fry manages to pick it up and give it back to Leslie. She thanks him, and everyone returns to work. Characters *Paul's father (debut) *Leonardo da Vinci (debut) *Paul *Mrs. Jewls *Leslie *Dr. Pickell *Eric Fry *Jenny Trivia *While Dr. Pickell does appear in this chapter, or else "Doctor Pickle" wouldn't have anything to do with Wayside School, he is only referred to as "the counselor." *Paul finally tries to eat Leslie's ear in "A Light Bulb, a Pencil Sharpener, a Coffeepot, and a Sack of Potatoes." Gallery Leslie 1989.jpg|Joel Schick illustration A Story with a Disappointing Ending 2003.jpg|Adam McCauley illustration A Story with a Disappointing Ending Illustration.jpg|Peter Allen illustration Paul Leslie A Story with a Disappointing Ending.png|Peter Allen second illustration Category:Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger chapters Category:Book chapters